PENDLETON — South Madison Community School Corp. is making strides in both negotiations for teacher’s contracts as well as approving the 2021 budget.
At the last board of trustees meeting on Sept. 3, a public hearing took place to receive public comment regarding teacher compensation and collective bargaining.
At the upcoming board meeting, scheduled for Sept. 17, a public hearing will be held concerning the budget.
Teacher contract negotiations can begin Sept. 15 with the target date for contract approval to be Nov. 15.
South Madison Classroom Teachers Association contracts are on a year-to-year basis running from July 1 to June 30. Last school year, the beginning salary for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree was $38,014, while the top of the scale was $67,989.
At the Sept. 3 meeting, during the period provided for comments from the public, no testimony was given.
A public hearing is scheduled for the 2021 budget at the Sept. 17 gathering, with the expectation of approval at the ensuing meeting on Thursday, Oct. 1.
The proposed budget is for $47,844,160.
“It is very similar to past years,” superintendent Mark Hall said.
Praise from the superintendent
Hall said he has been pleased with how students, teachers and all in the school system have adapted to a much different way of doing things in the pandemic-laden 2020-21 school year.
“Everyone has been following the plan, and we’re back to doing more normal school activities, but still staying on top of COVID-19,” Hall said. “It’s not normal, but it’s getting close to normal.”
Since the school year began, South Madison buildings have been functioning under the traditional-school format with enhanced safety and social distancing protocols in all but one week (Level 2 on a four-level scale, with Level 4 being the greatest virus threat).
In August, there was one week where schools went to a 50-50 format where it was one-half in-person school and one-half eLearning (Level 3).
“The students have done a great job, so have teachers, coaches, everyone in their buildings,” Hall added. “No one likes it, but they understand it’s necessary and everyone is operating the best we can.”
Personnel report
The following personnel items were approved at the Sept. 3 board of trustees meeting:
• Retirement of Frank Ricketts, maintenance, Administrative Service Center
• Hiring of Caitlin Huntzinger as elementary virtual teacher for Pendleton Elementary Intermediate School
• Resignation of Reanna Jessup, instructional assistant at East Elementary School
• Hiring of Tia Hamilton, instructional assistant, East Elementary School; Jaret McCormick, part-time custodian, Pendleton Heights Middle School; Alice Heruth, instructional assistant, Pendleton Heights Middle School and Aubree Lanman, virtual instructional assistant, Pendleton Elementary Intermediate School
• Extra-curricular recommendations of J. Randall Wood as girls basketball varsity assistant coach and Amanda Gaskin as girls basketball junior varsity coach, both at Pendleton Heights High School
• Leave for Belinda Bollman, teacher, Maple Ridge Elementary School; Heather Rohe, teacher, Pendleton Elementary Primary School; Margo Cromer, virtual teacher, Pendleton Elementary Intermediate School and Allison Ezell, virtual teacher, Pendleton Elementary Intermediate School.